Railroad rip track installation



Sept. 25, 1962 c. c. GRIFFITHS ET Al. 3,055,310

RAILROAD RIP TRACK INSTALLATION Filed May 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l E! Pfl-PA C K 5/10 0005/? REP/9? AREA PA V50 STRIP Sept. 25, 1962 c. c.GRIFFITHS ET AI. 3,

RAILROAD RIP TRACK INSTALLATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 12. 1958Sept. 25, 1962 C. C. GRIFFITHS ET AL RAILROAD RIP TRACK INSTALLATIONFiled May 12, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,055,310RAILROAD RIP TRACK INSTALLATION Clyde C. Grifliths, Harvey, and WallaceJ. Saxonmeyer, Park Forest, 111., assignors to Whiting Corporation, acorporation oflllinois Filed May 12, 1958, Ser. No. 734,740

9 Claims. (Cl. 104-32) This invention relates, generally, toimprovements and innovations in the construction and operation ofso-called railroad rip (repairs in process) tracks.

In the railroad industry the designation rip track refers to an area ina railroad yard or the like specifically set aside forthe repair ofloaded freight cars as distinguished from unloaded cars. When it isdiscovered that unloaded cars require repairs, they are normally sent tothe repair shops. However, mechanical defects often do not show up, orare not discovered, until after a freight car has been loaded and intransit. Obviously, it would be expensive and entail considerable delayto have to unload a defective car and transfer the load onto another carbefore the cargo can continue its journey. Often the repairs requiredare of a minor nature and such as may be taken care of in a short timewith the proper facilities without unloading a car. It is for the repairof loaded freight cars that a rip track or rip track operation isspecifically provided.

While rip tracks as such are by no means new in railroading, they haverecently taken on increased importance. This greater attention andemphasis to rip track operations is primarily due to an intensifiedeffort on the part of the railroads to increase their efficiency andgive better service to customers, thereby making them more competitivewith other forms of transportation such as truck lines and water-ways.

The present invention lends itself especially well to rip tracks and theoperation thereof, and the increased attention being given to this phaseof railroading, from two standpoints. First, the invention results in asubstantial improvement and versatility in the repair area of the riptrack and the operations that may be performed therein. Secondly, theinvention very materially improves the operation of the rip track withrespect to the handling of the cars between the so-called bad-orderarea, repair area and the OK or repaired car area. Hence, as will beclearly brought out hereinafter, the invention pertains not only tocertain improvements and innovations in the rip track installations assuch, but also in the operation thereof.

After the present invention has been described and illustrated in detailin connection with the accompanying drawings it will be pointed outwherein it offers substantial and important improvements over rip tracksand the operation thereof as they are generally known and operated.

As is well understood in railroading, loaded freight cars requiringrepair before they can safely continue to destinaation, are removed fromthe train and delivered to the incoming side of a rip track which areais commonly referred to as the bad order area. From the bad order areathe cars are moved into the middle portion of the rip track which isreferred to as the repair area. Since the repairs have to do largelywith the car trucks or underframe, jacks are used in the repair area forlifting the cars in various ways and locations. Heretofore these jackshave been movable or portable alongside the track or tracks in therepair area. Once the cars have been repaired they are removed from therepair area into the discharge side of the rip track which is referredto as the OK area. Switching engines are used for delivering defectiveloaded cars to the rip track and for removing them therefrom after theyare repaired. Either switch 3 ,055,3 ll Patented Sept. 25, 1962 enginesor so-called car pullers have heretofore been usedC for moving andpositioning the cars within the rip trac The present invention providesor incorporates the following basic innovations not previously found inconventional rip tracks:

(1) The jacks are in the form of fixed or permanent installationsthereby requiring rather accurate positioning or spotting of the cars inthe repair area.

(2) The cars are positioned or manipulated within the rip track by aspecial type of vehicle which has one set of flanged rail-engagingwheels for use in travelling on the tracks and another set of groundwheels which are used for travelling off the tracks, as on pavement.Such a vehicle is capable of pulling and/or pushing several cars at slowspeed and of spotting them accurately with respect to the fixed jackinstallations. By reason of the set of ground wheels which may be put inoperation as required, such a vehicle is free to leave the track andthereby move in and out, in front of and in back of cars, at will.

These and other innovations provided by this invention will be fullydescribed and illustrated in connection with the detailed descriptionset forth below.

Accordingly, the general object of the present invention is theprovision of new and improved rip track installations and methods ofoperating the same.

An important object of the invention is to provide rip tracks withpermanently installed car repair positions, preferably with all partsretractable to or below ground level, having manually controlled powerjacks which are in fixed position with respect to the length of thetracks extending therethrough.

Another important object of the invention is to provide rip trackshaving permanently installed car repair positions as mentioned in theforegoing object and also having a paved strip extending along at leastone side of the rip track with paved crossings at opposite ends thereofwhereby a special type of traction vehicle capable of travellingalternately on the tracks or on the paved areas may be advantageouslyused for moving and spotting the cars within the rip track.

Another important object of the invention is a novel method of operatinga rip track wherein a special traction vehicle having alternatelyemployed sets of flanged railengaging wheels and ground-engaging wheels,is used to move cars in all positions within the rip track and toaccurately spot the same with respect to fixed repair positions orstations having power jacks the pads of which may be readily adjustedvertically and laterally with respect to the width of the cars, butwhich are fixed with respect to thelength thereof.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a rip trackhaving permanently installed power jacks the lifting pads of which maybe readily adjusted vertically, and laterally in a direction crosswiseof the tracks and cars to be repaired, so as to fit and readilyaccommodate cars of varying widths and design.

Another important object of the invention is the provision in rip tracksof permanently installed power jacks having in addition to the liftingpads having a so-called center beam which cooperates with the jack padsand permits lifting of all types of railroad cars including those havingonly center sills such as certain types of tank cars, and also forlifting the trucks from the bottom so as to permit convenient changingof the brass bearing blocks in the journals of all types of cars.

Still another object of the invention is the provision in a rip track ofa permanently installed repair station including power jacks which areconveniently operated by so-called finger-tip control to adjust theelevation and lateral spacing or positioning of the jack pads so as toaccurately engage under the special spots or pads where freight cars aredesigned to be jacked.

Certain other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, andwill in part appear hereinafter. For a more complete understanding ofthe nature and scope of the invention reference may now be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a rip track representing oneembodiment of the invention and showing, in broken lines, a number ofrailroad cars spotted in the three areas thereof and two positions of aspecial type traction vehicle used in moving the railroad cars;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the repair stations in the riptrack shown in FIG. 1 with portions of the floor plate and one of thehousings broken away to show the worm and worm gear arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken generally on the line 33 ofFIG. 2, certain parts being shown in elevation and one of the jackhousings being broken away;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally on theline 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally on theline 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken generally on the line6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken generally on the line77 of FIG. 5.

In FIG. 1 the rip track is shown with three tracks extendingtherethrough. It will be understood that it might have only one track orthat it might have more than three. However, a three-track installationis typical. As usual, the center area wherein the cars are actuallyrepaired is designated repair area. On the left is the so-called badorder area into which loaded cars to be repaired are diverted. On theright is the so-called OK area occupied by repaired cars until they arepicked up for continuance to destination. It will be noted that thetracks entering and leaving the rip track are curved, this being typicalas rip tracks are usually squeezed in some available space in a railroadyard and not usually planned for in the initial layout of a railroadyard. Each of the tracks 11, 12 and 13 within the repair area isprovided with a pair of spaced permanently installed repair stations,indicated generally at 14, this having been found to provide asatisfactory arrangement. A paved strip 25 is provided along at leastone side of the rip track. Joined to opposite ends of the paved strip 25are paved crossings 26 and 27. It will be understood that there may be apaved strip, corresponding to strip 25, on the opposite side, pavedstrips between the tracks, and additional crossings, if desired.However, one paved strip 25 and two paved crossings 26 and 27 willusually be sufiicient.

Rail-road cars may be conveniently and efficiently moved in and betweenthe three areas and accurately spotted at one of the repair stations 14by means of a lightweight traction vehicle 30 of the special typedescribed in detail in Patents 2,718,195 and 2,718,197. Briefly, such avehicle is provided with four flanged, railengaging wheels and four,retractable ground wheels. The 6 track-engaging wheels are aligned inone direction while the ground wheels are aligned at right anglesthereto. Such a vehicle additionally includes means on opposite sidesfor coupling it to railroad cars and means for assuming a portion of theweight of a railroad car to create sufficient traction of the vehicle onthe railroad tracks to permit pushing and/or pulling of thesubstantially heavier loaded railroad cars along the tracks. A vehicleof this type is marketed commercially under the registered trademarkTrackmobile by the Whiting Corporation, of Harvey, Illinois.

An illustration of one method of operating the rip track is shown inconnection with the lower track :13 in FIG. 1 wherein a loaded railroadcar A needing to be repaired has been delivered into and left in the badorder area,

and wherein a railroad car B spotted at a repair station 14 has had arepair job completed. First, the traction vehicle 30 is driven along thepaved strip until it straddles the paved crossing 27 of track 13. Herethe ground wheels are retracted so that the vehicle rests on its set offlanged wheels and may be driven along the tracks 13 into couplingengagement with the car B in the repair area. The vehicle 30 then pullsthe repaired car B into the OK area where it is uncoupled and left to bepicked up and coupled into a train by a switch engine. The vehicle 30 isagain moved along the track 13 to the paved crossing 27 where the groundwheels are lowered into supporting engagement with the paved strip sothat the vehicle may be driven along the paved strip 25 to the pavedcrossing 26 of the track 13. With the vehicle straddling the track 13the ground wheels are again retracted and the vehicle advanced along thetrack 13 on its flanged wheels into coupling engagement with the car Awhich is then pushed into the repair area and accurately spotted at therepair station 14 which was just vacated by the car B.

An illustration of a more complex method of operating the rip track isshown in connection with the middle track 12 in FIG. 1 wherein cars Cand D are standing in the bad order area awaiting repair, a car E hasbeen repaired in the left-hand repair station (as viewed in FIG. 1), anda car F is standing in the OK area waiting to be removed. The tractionvehicle 30 is first driven along the paved strip until it straddles thepaved crossing 27 of the track 12. It is then moved to the left alongthe track 12 into coupling engagement with the car F and then farther tothe left until car F is coupled to repaired car E. The vehicle 30 isthen moved to the right until both cars E and F are pulled into the OKarea. The vehicle 30 is then uncoupled from these two repaired cars,transferred to the paved crossing 27 and driven around to the pavedcrossing 26 of the track 12 where it is transferred to the track 12 andmoved to the right into coupling engagement with the car C. The car C ispushed to the right by the vehicle 30 into coupling engagement with thecar D whereupon both cars C and D are pushed farther t0 the right untilcar D is accurately spotted at the right-hand repair station 14 (asviewed in FIG. 1). The car D is then uncoupled from the car C and thevehicle 30 is moved to the left to pull the car C into proper positionrelative to the left-hand repair station 14. The vehicle 30 is thenuncoupled from the car C and becomes available for use in switching andspotting cars on tracks 11 and 13.

It will be understood that the two car shifting operations on the riptrack, described above, are only illustrative of its general operationaccording to the present invention. Other specific operations requiringuse of the special vehicle 30 can be readily visualized. It will also beappreciated wherein additional paved crossings might facilitate use ofthe special traction vehicle. In this connection it should be noted thatthis vehicle 30 is not limited to movement on paved areas when itsground wheels are down, but that it may travel on unpaved areas andacross tracks.

The permanently installed repair stations, indicated generally at 14,will now be described in detail with particular reference to FIGS. 2 to6 inclusive. Each repair station 14 includes a generally rectangular pit35 formed of concrete or the like which extends transversely of therails or tracks 36. Adjacent each end the pit 35 is provided with awell. 38, the purpose being for housing the jack screws as will be fullyexplained hereinafter. The top of the pit 35 is covered over withsuitable deck material such as steel floor plate.

Two pairs of spaced, fixed ways 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4) are supported on thebottom of the pit, each pair being adjacent one end thereof. The ways 42are aligned lengthwise of the pit 35 with the ways of each pair beingpositioned on opposite sides of the adjacent well 38. A housing 44 isdisposed in each end of the pit over one of the wells 38 and is providedon opposite sides with a pair of bearing support blocks 46 which areslidable on and interlocked with the fixed ways 42 whereby the housings44 are slidably mounted on the ways 42 for movement over the wells 38and transversely of the rails or tracks 36 on which the cars aresupported. Obviously, other suitable equivalents can be utilized formounting the housings 44 for movement in the pit transversely of therails.

As best shown in FIG. 5, each housing 44 is also provided with a cover48 and has a vertically disposed nut member 50 supported for rotationtherein by means of a thrust bearing 52 of known type and a bushing 53.A jack screw 54 extends vertically through each nut 50 and projectsupwardly through an opening in the cover 48 and through a cylindricalscrew guide 56 mounted on the cover 48. A guide bushing 58 is disposedwithin each guide 56 and extends down into the cap portion of each cover48. Each screw 54 extends downwardly into a cylindrical casing 66 whichextends below the housing 44 into one of the wells 33. Each screw 54 isprevented from rotating by means of a yoke member 62 (FIG. 6) which issecured to the lower end of the screw 54 and which has diametricallyopposed keyways 63 which slidably engage with vertically extendingguides 64 disposed on the interior of the casing 60. Each member 62 thusacts both to guide the bottom end of a screw 54 and to hold it againstrotation relative to the casing 66. Desirably each casing 60 is providedwith an air vent 65 (FIG. 5) at its upper end. It will be seen thatrotation of each nut member 50, depending upon the direction ofrotation, causes either at raising or lowering of the associated jackscrew 54.

Each screw 54 is provided on the top end with a jack pad 66 mountedthereon in a well known manner for universal movement. A collapsible,accordion-type screw cover 68 (FIG. 3) is preferably provided to protectthe portion of each screw projecting above the cover 48 of the housing44 from dirt or foreign material.

In order to provide a drive means for each of the two jack mechanisms ineach pit 35, a worm gear 70 (FIG. 5) is press-fitted on each of the nutmembers 50. Each worm gear 70 is adapted to be driven by a short worm 72which is slidably keyed internally by a key '71 (FIG. 7) to a shaft 73extending through the housing 44 in a direction longitudinally of thepit 35 and with its outer end extending into a casing 74 (FIG. 3)secured to the outer side of the housing 44. One of the worm-carryingshafts 73 is drivingly connected to one end of the drive shaft 75 of anelectric motor 76 (supported on the floor of the pit) by means of acoupling 77 of known type. The other worm-carrying shaft 73 is drivinglyconnected to the other end of the drive shaft 75 of the motor 76 bymeans of a solenoid controlled, combination brake-wheel and coupling 78of known type. A housing 80 (FIG. 3) is provided for the solenoidcontrolled combination brake-wheel and coupling 78. Obviously, both nutmembers 56 are intended to be rotated upon actuation of the motor '76 indirections adapted to cause either simultaneous upward movement of thescrews 54 or simultaneous downward movement thereof. Therefore, inasmuchas the two worm-carrying shafts 73 will be rotated in the same directionby the motor 76, the threads of the two worms 72 are designed andarranged to rotate the two nut members 56 in directions which willprovide either simultaneous raising or lowering of the jack pads 66. Asthe two jack screws 54 are normally threaded in opposite directions, thetwo worms 72, which are adapted to be driven simultaneously in the samedirection by the motor 76, must therefore be oppositely threaded so asto drive the two nut members in opposite directions and providesimultaneous up or down movement of the jack pads 66.

Since the spacing between the jack-engaging spots on is evident in FIG.3, the end portions of the center beam the undersides of freight carsvaries, it is necessary that the jack pads 66 be laterally adjustablefor engaging the same. In this connection motor means are provided forsimultaneously moving the housings 44 along the ways 42 either toward oraway from the center of the pit 35. A standard motor and reducing unit,indicated generally at 82 (FIGS. 3 and 4), is supported on a slantedsection 84 of an I-beaim and has a drive shaft 86 (FIG. 3) extending inopposite directions therefrom longitudinally of the pit 35. A pair ofoppositely threaded screws 87 are drivingly engaged with the drive shaft86 by couplings 88 of known type. Each of the screws 87 extends througha mating nut member 89 carried on a bracket 90 secured to the inner sideof each of the housings 44. Upon actuation of the motor 82, the twohousings 44 are slidably moved simultaneously either toward or away fromthe center of the pit 35. The wells 38 are of such a size to accommodatelateral movement of the screw casings 66 therein upon actuation of themotor 82. In FIG. 3, the centerlines x-y indicate the limits of lateralmovement of the two jack screws 54. The worm gears 70 and the worms 72move with the housings 44 toward and away from the center of the pit 35upon actuation of the motor 8 2. The slidable key connections 71 betweenthe worms 72 and the shafts 73 (FIG. 7) permit the worms 72 to movelongitudinally relative to the shafts 73. The elongated casings 74 whichare carried on the housings 44 and into which the outer ends of theshafts 73 extend accommodate the outer ends of the shafts 73 in both theinnermost and outermost positions of the housings 44.

The two motors 76 and 82 may be connected in a circuit' including amanual control of a well known type having push buttons so that anoperator can control these two motors and thus lateral movement of thehousings 44 in the pit 35 and vertical movement of the jack pads 66.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of elongated hinged covers 91 are provided inthe floor plate 39 above the jack pads 66 so as to uncover the pads 66when in use.

A majority of freight cars have underframes provided with jacking spotsadjacent the opposite ends and on opposite sides thereof whereby theymay be engaged by the jack pads 66-66 from the underside so as to liftone end of the car bodies off of the trucks at that end and permit thetrucks to be removed and replaced by a new set. However, there arecertain types of railroad cars, e.g. certain tank cars, which have nojacking spots at the sides of the underframe which can be engaged by thejack pads 6666. Such cars have only center sills whereat the car bodiesmay be lifted safely off of the trucks. In order to permit the liftingof such types of cars having only the center sills whereat they may belifted or jacked, a center beam 94 is provided which can be raised andlowered by the jack pads 66 as required. The center beam 94 is arrangedto engage the center sill of a freight car which has to be lifted atthis position. Furthermore, the center beam 94 fills the dual purpose ofengaging the underside of the car trucks on opposite sides andintermediate the wheels on all types of freight cars thereby Permittingthe trucks to be lifted a short distance, an inch or two, and allowingthe brass bearing blocks to be removed from the journal boxes andreplaced with reconditioned or new brass blocks.

Accordingly, a pair of I-bearns 92 (FIGS. 3 and 4) have their endsembedded in the longitudinally extending sides of the pit 35 somewhatbelow the top of the pit so that the I-beams 92 extend transversely ofthe pit. The

I-beams 92 are spaced apart so as to be vertically aligned Therelatively heavyweight center beam 94, in the form of an I-beam, extendslongitudinally j with the rails 36.

of the pit 35 and has a full depth portion disposed between the I-beams92 and reduced in depth upper end portions extending toward the ends ofthe pit and normally in supporting engagement on the I-beams 92. As

94 terminate just short of the jack pads 66 when the housings 44 aremoved laterally into their innermost positions. The portion of the floorplate 39 extending between the hinged cover plates 91 is made up ofsections 95 which have been cut out of the main floor plate and whichare supported on the center beam 94. Portions 96 are also cut out of themain rails 36 and supported on the center beam 94 by means includinggussets 99 (FIG. 4). This arrangement permits the center beam 94 to beraised above the top of the pit 35.

As best shown in FIG. 3, a pair of arms 98 are slidably mounted on eachend of the center beam 94, one arm of each pair being disposed on anopposite side of the vertically extending portion of the center beam 94.The arms 98 are mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of thecenter beam 94 and are adapted to be extended outwardly beyond the endsof the center beam 94 (either manually or by any suitable leverarrangement) into vertical alignment with the jack pads 66 when suchpads are in their lowered and innermost positions.

With the arms 98 in their extended positions, as shown in broken linesin FIG. 3, actuation of the motor 76 to raise the jack pads 66vertically brings the pads into engagement with the undersides of thearms 98 and lifts the center beam 94 and the cutout portions 95 of thefloor plate and the cutout portions 96 of the rails 36 supported thereoninto lifting engagement either with the center sill of certain type tankcars to permit repair thereof or with the underside of the trucks of alltypes of cars to permit changing the brass. During this center beam typelifting operation, the hinge covers 91 will, of course, also be openedautomatically.

In operation, after a railroad car of the type having jacking spots onits underframe has been spotted at one of the repair stations 14 inaccordance with the general method previously set forth herein, a manualcontrol of any of the well known types is used to actuate the motor 82to laterally position the jack pads 66 below the jackings spots of thecar after which another manual control is utilized to actuate the motor76 to raise the jack pads 66 into lifting engagement with the underframeof the railroad car. Should the repair problem involve changing thebrass or should the railroad car requiring repair be a tank car havingonly a center sill, the arms 98 are first extended into alignment withthe lowered jack pads 66 before the lifting motor 76 is actuated. Whenthe motor 76 is actuated the center beam 94 is raised upwardly intolifting engagement either with the center sill of such a tank car orwith the underside of the trucks of any car requiring a change of brass.After the repair operation has been completed, the jack pads 66 arelowered and the repaired car may then be moved into the OK area inaccordance with the general method previously described.

Obviously, with the permanently installed type of jack systems disclosedherein, railroad cars requiring repair must be very accurately spotted,e.g. within an inch or two, at the repair stations. Neither switchengines nor car pullers of the conventional cable and winch type areadapted to provide the spotting accuracy possible with the lightweight,self-propelled traction vehicle utilized in the invention. This vehicleis extremely mobile inasmuch as it can readily move back and forthbetween opposite ends of the rip track system and between the difierenttracks in the system and is also adapted to both push and pull railroadcars. This vehicle can thus handle car spotting operations in a riptrack system that would normally require many switch engines and/ or carpullers. Car pullers of the conventional type are additionallyunsatisfactory inasmuch as they are not adapted to push cars and arethus limited to pulling operations and inasmuch as they are not adaptedto operate with curved tracks.

It is noted that the terms paved strip and paved crossing used hereinare intended to include any of the well known types of road bedscommonly in use, such as asphalt, crushed rock, etc. It is further notedthat the traction vehicle utilized in the invention may, if necessary,move across railroad tracks without the benefit of any type of road bedas a crossing.

It will be understood that certain changes may be made in theconstruction or arrangement of the rip track installation and method ofoperating same disclosed herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a railroad rip track of the class described, a fixed car jackinstallation comprising, a pair of jacks disposed on opposite sides of atrack in the repair area of the rip track, support means for each ofsaid jacks whereby said jacks may be :adjustably shifted in either aloaded or unloaded condition in a direction transverse to said track,said support means providing non-yielding support for said jacks in avertical direction whereby during a lifting operation said jacks are notvertically movable relative to said support means, and means operablyconnected to each jack for adjustably shifting said jacks in saidtransverse direction and for vertically raising and lowering the jackpads thereof whereby said pads may readily be adjusted for liftingengagement under the jacking spots on opposite sides of freight carswherein there is a variation in the lateral spacing of the jackingspots.

2. In a railroad rip track of the class described a fixed car jackinstallation comprising, a pair of jacks disposed on opposite sides of atrack in the repair area of the rip track and each having a jack pad atthe upper end thereof, support means for each of said jacks whereby saidjacks may be adjustably shifted in a line transverse to said track,means operably connected to each jack for adjustably shifting said jacksin said transverse line and for vertically raising and lowering the samewhereby said jack pads may be readily adjusted for lifting engagementunder the jacking spots on opposite sides of freight cars wherein thereis a variation in the lateral spacing of the jacking spots from one carto another, a center lifting beam, means for supporting said center beamin a lowered position intermediate said jack pads, and retractable meanson opposite ends of said center beam for selective supporting engagementwith said jack pads whereby said jacks may be used to lift said centerbeam.

3. In a railroad rip track of the class described, a fixed car jackinstallation comprising, a pair of jacks disposed on opposite sides of atrack in the repair area of the rip track and each having a jack pad atthe upper end thereof, support means for each of said jacks whereby saidjacks may be adjustably shifted in a line transverse to said track, onemanually controlled motor operably connected to both of said jacks forsimultaneously shifting said jacks toward and away from each other insaid transverse line, a second manually controlled motor operablyconnected to both of said jacks for simultaneously raising and loweringsaid jack pads, a center lifting beam aligned with said jack pads anddisposed therebetween, means for supporting said beam in a loweredinactive position, and retractable support means extensible fromopposite ends of said beam for lifting engagement by said jack pads,said motors being operable to readily position said jack pads underneaththe jacking spots on opposite sides of freight cars of different types,and said second motor being operable for readily lifting said beam whensupported by said jack pads.

4. In a railroad rip track of the class described, a fixed car jackinstallation comprising, an elongated pit emplacement extendingtransversely to a track in the repair area of said rip track with thetop surface of the pit approximately flush with the ground surface, jacksupport means on the floor of said pit for supporting jacks therein onopposite sides of said track, a pair of screwtype jacks each beingnon-yieldably mounted on one of said jack support means and having ajack pad on its upper end, interengaging means on said jack supports andjacks whereby the latter are slidable in a line transverse to saidtracks, each of said jacks having a depending screw casing, said pitbeing provided in opposite ends with wells for receiving said screwcasings and accommodating the lateral shifting thereof, which dependingscrew casings and wells permit said jacks to be lowered to positionswherein the jack pads thereof are disposed below the top surface of thepit, one manually controlled motor unit operably connected to both ofsaid jacks for simultaneously shifting said jacks toward and away fromeach other in said transverse line, and a second manually controlledmotor operably connected to both of said jacks for simultaneouslyraising and lowering the jack pads of said jacks, whereby said pads maybe readily adjusted both laterally and vertically for lifting engagementunder the jacking spots on opposite sides of freight cars wherein thereis a variation in lateral spacing of the jacking spots.

5. The fixed car jack installation called for in claim 4 wherein each ofsaid jacks comprises a worm and worm gear casing, a jack nut secured inthe center of said worm gear, and bearing means for rotatably supportingsaid nut for rotation on said screw, and wherein said second manuallycontrolled motor unit is operably connected to both of said jacks bymeans of drive shafts projecting from opposite sides of said unitparallel to said transverse line and through said worms, said wormsbeing slidably keyed to said shafts.

6. The fixed car jack installation as called for in claim 5 wherein saidone manually controlled motor is operably connected with said jacks bymeans of screws projecting on opposite sides thereof in a directionparallel to said transverse line, and a nut is mounted on each of saidcasings for threaded engagement with one of said screws.

7. In a railroad rip track of the class described, a fixed car jackinstallation comprising, an elongated pit emplacement extendingtransversely to a track in the repair area of said rip track with thetop surface of the pit approximately flush with the ground surface, jacksupport means on the floor of said pit for supporting jacks therein onopposite sides of said track, a pair of screwtype jacks each beingmounted on one of said jack support means, interengaging means on saidjack supports and jacks whereby the latter are slidable in a linetransverse to said tracks, each of said jack-s having a depending screwcasing, said pit being provide in opposite ends with wells for receivingsaid screw casings and accommodating the lateral shifting thereof, onemanually controlled motor unit operably connected to both of said jacksfor simultaneously shifting said jacks toward and away from each otherin said transverse line, and a second manually cont-rolled motoroperably connected to both of said jacks for simultaneously raising andlowering the jack pads of said jacks, a center lift beam disposedbetween said jacks in alignment with said jack pads thereof, means forsupporting said beam in a lowered position, and retractable meansextensible from opposite ends of said beam for resting engagement on theadjacent jack pad.

8. The fixed car jack installation called for in claim 7 wherein saidcenter lift beam carries a pair of rail members which when the beam isin its lowered position are flush with and fill gaps provided thereforin said tracks.

9. In combination with a pair of horizontally spaced jack mechanismshaving vertically extending screws with lifting pads at the upper endsthereof, a horizontally ex tending beam extending between the screwswith the ends of the beam terminating short of the screws, and a pair ofarms one at each end of said beam which are selectively extensiblelengthwise of the beam into vertical alignment with the lifting pads ofthe screws when they are in their lowered positions whereby simultaneousraising of the screws causes engagement of the lifting pads thereof withthe undersides of said arms and lifts said beam while maintaining it inits horizontal position.

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